Summary
Under Parisis one of the most outlandish andsuccessful shark movies sinceJaws, yet while its environmentally-tinged story marks it as an outlier in the genre, other details from the film reveal it has some surprising connections to older projects. As its title implies,Under Parishas the unique distinction of being set in mainland Europe in the middle of the French capital – despite the difficulties this presents to its finned antagonist. While this would seem to place it in a similar strata to more deliberately over-the-top shark films, it is also clearly influenced by more realistic entrants into the genre.
Part of what makesUnder Parisso successful is its mix of gloriously outrageous action and a surprisingly poignant message about environmental degradation. According to the movie, the reason the villainous shark is able to attack unsuspecting French people in the Seine is thatrapid environmental changes have sparked rapid and unprecedented evolution, to the point where it can survive in fresh water. Such a farfetched premise is a far cry from most shark movies with a grounding in fact. However, whileUnder Paris' specific shark is unique, other aspects of the finned foe connect to another much-loved shark film.
Under Paris' Shark Is A Shortfin Mako
It’s A Real Species Of Shark
In many respects,Under Paris' shark (named Lilith throughout the film) is a mythologized monster – no more realistic than the creatures seen in SyFy classics likeSharktopus. However, while traits such as its ability to survive in the River Seine, spawn a nest of hungry offspring, and reproduce asexually are all fantastical, Lilith is not actually as ridiculous as she seems. Behind the fictionalized aspects of theUnder Parisshark is the fact thatLilith technically belongs to a real species– the shortfin mako.
Under Parisis now available to view on Netflix.
Unlike their portrayal in the movie, shortfin makos are strictly oceanic animals. Built for speed, they rank among the fastest fish in the sea, with recorded top speeds of up to 70 km/h. Although Lilith is reported to be seven meters long,real shortfin makos only grow as large as four metersand are incapable of serving in fresh water.
Although the shortfin mako has been known to attack humans,it has never done so with the ferocity or intent seen inUnder Paris– another area where the film deviates from reality. The fact that Lilith is based on real sharks is interesting, particularly given the movie’s general willingness to bend facts to suit the narrative. What’s more intriguing, however, is that her being a shortfin mako creates a connection to another classic shark movie.
Every Country Where Sharks Have Taken Over In Under Paris (Not Just France)
Under Paris' ending confirms that the finned threat has spread beyond the City of Light, with other major metropoles at risk of shark attack.
Mako Sharks Also Appeared In Deep Blue Sea
It’s Unusual For The Species To Feature Twice
Making Lilith a shortfin mako, as opposed to any other potentially dangerous shark species, instantly tiesUnder Paristo one of themost popular post-Jawsshark films:Deep Blue Sea. Released in 1999,Deep Blue Seatook a very different approach toUnder Paris, with most of the action taking place in a submerged underwater research facility. In this case, what made the sharks more compelling as antagonists was the fact that their brains had been deliberately enlarged in order to conduct Alzheimer’s research – making them more intelligent and more deadly.
Throughout shark movie history, the most prominent species to figure in an antagonistic capacity has been the great white – and with good reason.
What makes theDeep Blue SeaandUnder Parisshark species connection interesting is that shortfin makos are actually an unusual choice as a villain. Throughout shark movie history, the most prominent species to figure in an antagonistic capacity has been the great white – and with good reason.Great whites are responsible for more attacks on humans than any other shark speciesand are easily the most infamous and recognizable. It’s somewhat strange, therefore, that bothDeep Blue SeaandUnder Pariswould choose to make the relatively niche shortfin mako the main villain of the movie.
Under Paris' Mako Shark Is Very Different From Deep Blue Sea’s
They Take The Species In Very Different Directions
Although bothUnder ParisandDeep Blue Seatake the same animal as inspiration, the films offer vastly different portraits of alternate shortfin mako evolution. InUnder Paris, what makes Lilith unique is her relationship with her environment. Over the course of the movie, it becomes clear thatthe shark is a heavy-handed metaphor for the consequences of humanity’s abuse of the environment, with Lilith’s exposure to changing temperatures and plastic forcing her to find new methods of survival – spawning a race of lethal super-sharks in the process that spread around the world byUnder Paris' ending.
Lilith’s situation means that, despite the sci-fi quality to her story, her evolution is at least somewhat organic. This makes her a more effective representation of the impact of climate change. InDeep Blue Sea, however, the sharks are an entirely man-made problem. Each of them is a result of Frankenstein-like experimentation, as opposed to a more natural evolutionary process.This pushesDeep Blue Seainto more explicitly sci-fi territory– althoughUnder Parisis hardly a paragon of scientific accuracy.
How Dangerous Are Real Mako Sharks?
Both Films Take Real Liberties
Part of the reason successful shark movies such asJawsandThe Shallowsare so effective is that their antagonists are somewhat believable. Both movies feature great whites, a species with a reputation as a man-eater. While this reputation is not necessarily deserved,given the incredibly low likelihood of a person being attacked by any shark, it nonetheless makes sense that shark movies would play on this stereotype.
By contrast, mako sharks have a very different relationship with humans. Attacks are exceedingly rare, withonly 10 recorded between 1980 and 2024(according to data gathered byThe Florida Museum). The truth is that, as is the case with all sharks, shortfin makos are at a far greater risk from humans than humans are from them.
All over the world, shark species are persecuted in extraordinary numbers, with some estimates putting the death toll as high as 100 million fish per year. For makos, the risk is doubly acute, since the species is specifically targeted by sport fishing charters due to the shark’s athleticism when trying to evade capture. As bothDeep Blue SeaandUnder Parisprove, makos can seem scary when a distorted version of reality is presented. The truth, however, is actually much more tragic for the fish.
